Folding table-top display

ABSTRACT

A portable display comprising a series of blanks made of laminated sheet material, each blank being divided centrally by a body weakening crease line into two panels foldable on themselves, and adjacent blanks being connected by hinge means which support substantially all of the weight of shelving when the display is in setup condition.

O United States Patent 1111 14 [72} Inventor John'G. Downing [56] References Cited Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (c/o Dawning UNITED STATES PATENTS Gums 1,852,471 4/1932 Nelson 248 1701 [21] P 79909 1,897,940 211933 Leopold. 248/174 122] Fled 2 971 657 2/1961 Zadek 108/108X [45] Patented Feb. 2, 1971 3,174,592 3/1965 Bennan et a1 21 1/184X 3,314,551 4/1967 Plastow 211/178 3,319,801 5/1967 Nordstrom. 211/178 3,365,258 1/1968 Downing... 312/258X 3,460,860 8/1969 Stevens 287/2092 3,464,569 9/1969 Downing 211/135 [54] FOLDING TABLE-TOP DISPLAY 2 claims, 5 Drawing Figs. Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Bntts Attorney-Wa1ter S. Murray [52] US. Cl 211/135, 40/130:108/111:211/149.211/178:248/174,

312/258 ABSTRACT: A portable display comprising a series of blanks [51] lnt.Cl A471 5/10 made of laminated sheet material, each blank being divided [50] Field of Search 211/135, centrally by a body weakening crease line into two panels foldable on themselves, and adjacent blanks being connected by hinge means which support substantially all of the weight of shelving when the display is in setup condition.

This invention relates to a foldable display construction especially useful for exhibiting articles of merchandise in conjunction with advertising materiaL'and the like.

More particularly this invention relates to a display device having a number of foldable blanks which may be collapsed to form a relatively small package that facilitates its transportation and which may be quickly erected upon a table top into a display device of good stability for the support of merchandise and the display of related advertising material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive display having a pluralitypf foldable panels, certain adjacent panels having unique hinge means therebetween that both strengthens the display in erected position and serves to reduce the space required for packaging the display in its collapsible condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a display device having the foregoing characteristics a vertically adjustable, shelf mounting means which is associated with the hinge means in a manner to rigidify the display in its erected position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a demountable sign illuminating fixture for the display which in display erected position locks adjacent display panels in a rigid, setup position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. I is a front perspective view of the display in its erected, setup position upon a table top; a part thereof being broken away to disclose an underlying part.

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a single line drawing depicting a top plan view of the display in its collapsed position for packaging and transportation.

In accordance with the invention the numerals 8, 9 and 10 indicate three identically shaped, rectangular blanks each composed of relatively stiff, laminated material having, as illustrated in FIG. 2, outer sheets 11 and 12 and an intermediate lamination 13 all pressed and secured together to form a planar board. Each blank has a vertical, body weakening best illustrated in FIG. 2, connects the opposed vertical edgeportions of the central blank 9 to the inner edge portions of the blanks 8 and 10. The hinge means 17 comprises a vertical channel member I8 made of light weight metal, such as aluminum, and having opposed legs I9 and 20 projecting rearwardly of the erected display, the base 21 of the channel being provided with a vertical row of spaced apart bracket engaging slots 22.

An extruded, connector strip 23 made of strong plastic material connects each leg 19 and 20 of the channel I8 to an edge portion of an adjacent blank, said strip 23 having a first U-shaped part 24 which receives a leg of the channel member 18 and a second U-shaped part 25 which receives the edge portion of a blank; a thin and flexible, integral web 26 hingedly connecting together said U-shaped parts 24 and 25. A vertical series of spaced apart screws 27 are countersunk in the base 21 of the channel member I8 and each screw is threaded in a stamped metal nut 28 which spans the open end of the channel and bears against the parts 24 and 24 to fix the pair of connector strips to the'channel member. A vertical series of staples 29 fasten the U-shaped parts 25 to the blanks.

Now with reference to FIGS. I and 3 of the drawings it will be seen that an elongated incandescent lamp fixture I29 extends across the crease line 14 of the center blank 9 and that the fixture is removably mounted on the upper part of said blank by a pair of hooks 30 and 31 connected to and projecting upwardly from the fixture and each snugly engaging over the upper edge of one of the panels I5 and I6 on opposite sides of the crease line 14. The operative position of the fixture thus locks the panels 15 and I6 of the blank 9 in a straight line, setup condition. A header sign 32 of translucent, flexible material is preferably mounted by end hooks in the slots of the channels in front of the incandescent lamp fixture for purposes of illuminating the indicia printed or otherwise applied to the sign.

In FIG. 4 there is illustrated a bracket 33 having a pair of hooks 34-34 which engage in adjacent slots 22 in the channel member to position the bracket in a selected operative place on the member for support of one end of a suitable shelf 35. The outer edge of the'shelf has a slot 36 formed therein to receive the. end portion of the bracket 33 to rigidify the lower portion of the display, it being understood that a number of brackets placed in preselected positions may remain in their positions when the display is folded or collapsed.

With reference to FIG. 5 of the drawings my display is shown in folded, portable condition and wherein the panels I5 and I6 of the outer blanks 8 and I0 are folded upon themselves on their crease lines 14-14 whilst the panels 15 and I6 of the center blank are also folded on its crease line 14; the opposed hinges 17-17 lying between adjacent panels of the central and end blanks. It will be seen that a very compact and readily portable display is presented which is readily set up on a table top 37 (FIG. I) in a minimum of time to provide a strong and ornamental structure for the display of articles of merchandise and associated advertising material, or the like.

With reference to FIG. I of the drawings it will be seen that one or a number of shelves 35 may be mounted on the display in its setup condition and that each shelf is capable of bearing considerable weight due to the fact that most of its weight is supported directly by the two metal channel member 18-18 which have their lower ends in contact with the table-top 37. Display stability is provided for the straight center blank 9 of the display by reason of the angular position of blanks 8 and I0 with respect to the center blank 9 and the angular positions of the panels 15 and I6 of each of said blanks.

I claim: 1

1. In a portable display device having upstanding blanks disposed in side-by-side relationship and each blank having a longitudinal body weakening fold' line throughout its height dividing the blank into a pair of panels providing angular disposition of the divided panels of the blank, hinge means connecting together side edge portions of adjacent blanks and consisting of an upstanding U-shaped, metallic channel member, a pair of unitary strips extending along the entire side edge portion of the adjacent blanks, each of the strips having a first U-shaped part fixedly receiving one leg of the channel member, a second U-shaped part for each strip fixedly receiving the adjacent side edge portion of a blank, and a unitary flexible web hingedly connecting together the first and second U-shaped parts of each of the strips.

2. A portable display device as set forth in claim I wherein the first U-shaped parts of both of the strips are fixed on a channel member by a vertical row of spaced apart nuts that span the open end of the channel member and engage the said first U-shaped parts, and screws extending through the base portion of the channel member and threaded in the nuts. 

1. In a portable display device having upstanding blanks disposed in side-by-side relationship and each blank having a longitudinal body weakening fold line throughout its height dividing the blank into a pair of panels providing angular disposition of the divided panels of the blank, hinge meanS connecting together side edge portions of adjacent blanks and consisting of an upstanding U-shaped, metallic channel member, a pair of unitary strips extending along the entire side edge portion of the adjacent blanks, each of the strips having a first U-shaped part fixedly receiving one leg of the channel member, a second U-shaped part for each strip fixedly receiving the adjacent side edge portion of a blank, and a unitary flexible web hingedly connecting together the first and second U-shaped parts of each of the strips.
 2. A portable display device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first U-shaped parts of both of the strips are fixed on a channel member by a vertical row of spaced apart nuts that span the open end of the channel member and engage the said first U-shaped parts, and screws extending through the base portion of the channel member and threaded in the nuts. 